Electrical connection plug



Oct. 14, 1930.

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Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PAJIENT OFFICE BENJAMIN F. CONNER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO COLTS PATENT FIRE ARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A COR- PORATION F CONNECTICUT ELECTRICAL coNNEcTIoN PLuG y Application filed October 18, 1927, Serial No. 227,026. Renewed July 15, 1930.

The invention relates particularly to electrical connection plugs such as are commonly used at the end of a conductor cord for providing an electrical connection to various current using appliances such as electric irons, electric toasters, electric heaters, and the like.

It is well known that connection plugs of this class frequently become very hot 'by reason of heat transmitted from the appliances with which they are used and it is also well known that the frictional engagement of such plugs with the contacts of the appliances is frequently such as to offer considerable resistance tending to prevent removal. By reason of the high temperature and the considerable frictional resistance the removal of a plug by taking direct hold thereof is frequently a matter of much discomfort and diiculty. To avoid such discomfort and dificulty the user frequently pulls on the cord with the result that the cord is broken or detached from its terminals. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a plug of this class having an improved movably connected handle so formed as to be adapted for convenient manual engagement to pull the plug away from the appliance, the construction of the said handle and the position of the manually engageable portion thereof beingsuch that the last said portion is always at a comfortable temperature notwithstanding the heating of the plug body. In accordance with the invention the handle is preferably provided with a longitudinal-hole therethrough for receiving the conductor cord, the handle thus taking the place of the usual guard or support formed of coiled wire.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide certain improved details of mechanical construction which reduce the cost of manufacture of the several parts and which facilitate assembly. i g H Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification 'and claims.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown two embodiments of the invention, but it will be understood that the drawing is intended for illustrative purposes only and is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing: Fig. l is a perspective view of a connection. plug embodying the invention.

Flg. 2 is a view showing that endof the plug which is at the right in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 4 4 of Figs, 2 and 3. ,A

Flgs. 5 and 6 are views similar respectively to Figs. 3and 4 but showing an alternate embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, particularly to Figs. l to 4 thereof, 1 represents the main body of the plug which is formed of insulating material. The exact details of construction of the body 1 may be varied but I prefer to construct the said body with two separate companion parts la' and 1b which are positioned at opposite sides of a longitudinal plane of division. The two parts are normally held in the proper relative positions by means of screws 2, 2. Carried by the bod 1 are two separate contacts 'adapted to e detachably engaged for electrical connection purposes with the supply contacts of a current using appliance. The details of the contacts may be varied but for purposes of illustrating the invention I haveshown female contacts 3 and 4 which may (be of conventional form. As illustrated the body parts l and 1b are provided with suitable registering recesses 5, 5 and 6, 6 in which the contacts 3 and 4 are respectively located. As shown each contact 3 or 4 comprises two separate metallic parts held in place by means of a screw 7. The two screws 7, 7 for the two contacts also serve as terminals for establishing electrical and mechanlcal connectlon with the two pivotal movement 'the range indicated by dot-and-dash hnes nection may be indirect, as for instance through a suitable switch.

Pivotally connected with the body of the plug, preferably at a position substantially opposite the said contacts 3 and 4,'is a handle 8 which is preferably inflexible and is provided near its outer end with -means conveniently engageablemanually for pushing the plug into place on the associated appliance or for'pulling itV therefrom. The means for forming a pivotal connection between the handle 8 and the body of the 'plug may be varied but when the said body comprises two separate partsv 1a and 1b I preferably form the said parts with suitable interior'recesses near the end and I form the said handle 8 with a portion which is adapted to be seated in the recesses so as to form the required-pivotal connection. As illustrated, particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, the two body parts are formed with registering substantially cylindricalrecesses at 9 and 9a and the handle 8 is provided with substantially cylindrical trunnions 10 and 10a seated respectively in the said recesses. The said handle 8 extends between the said parts 1n and 1b of the body, which parts are flared outward at 11'and llllrespectively to permit of the handle 8 through in Fig. 4. The said body parts at 11 vand 11a serve as 'stops to limit the pivotal movement of the handle. Y

The handle 8 is provided with a central longitudinal hole 13 therethrough for the recept-ion of the cord C. As clearlyshown in Fig. 3 the cord C extends through the hole 13 in the handle and the inner ends of the two conductors of the cord are secured to the terminals 7, 7. Thus the han- A dle 8 serves as a guard for the cord, taking the place of the usual coiled wire guard. Preferably the hole 13 terminates at its inner end in a recess 13a located between the two trunnions 10 and 10a. The said recess 13' serves to permit the diverging of the conductors of the cord and to thereby facilitate the connection thereof with the terminals 7, 7.

As already stated the handle 8 is providedI 'near its outer end with means conveniently engageable manuallyv for exerting a pull to remove the plug from the appliance. The details of this manually engageable means lmay be variedv but I prefer to provide the handle 8 with two oppositely extending projections 12 and 12 which are conveniently engageable by two fingers of the hand of the user. The manually engageable ,portion of the handle 8 is suiciently spaced from the body of the plug to avoid the transmission theretr.V` of any considerable amount of heat from the plug, the result being that the said manually engageable portion is never above a comfortable temperature.' Ordinarily and compound.

lt willbe obvious that when it is desired to remove the plug from the appliance the user can conveniently engage the manually engageable projections 12, 12a, ordinarily engaging the respective projections with two fingers, so as to conveniently pull the plug away from the'appliance. By reason ofthe low temperature of the end portion of the handle there is no discomfort by reason of excessive temperature and the said portion is so shaped that a considerable pull can be exerted without any difficulty. I thus avoid the diiiicul'ties which are commonly incident to the removal of the ordinary plugs, which become highly heated and which are difficult to firmly grasp, and I avoid any possible necessity for the user to pull on the cord. Obviously the said projections .12 and 12 may also be used for engagement by the hand to push the plug into place.

From the 4foregoing description it will be apparent that the element 8 serves not only as a handle but also as a guard for the cord. With my improved construction it is possible to thread the cordthrough the hole in the handle prior to the final assembly of the handle with the two body parts 1a and 1b, and the inner ends of the conductors forming the cord C can then be connected to the respective terminals 7, 7. Thereafter the two body parts 1a and 1b can be brought into engagementwith each other to enclose the contacts,

the terminals and the inner ends of the cord conductors and at the same time to engage and 'retain the handle in such a way as to permit the desired pivotal movement thereof.

In Figs. 5 and 6I have shown a somewhat different, embodiment of the invention wherein the handle is connected to the plug body for pivotal movement in any direction, instead of being connected thereto for movement about a single transverse axis as shown in Figs. l to 4. As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the plug has a body 14 comprising two similar parts 14a and 14b connected by screws 2, 2. Mounted in the body are contacts 3 and 4 which may be exactly the same in construction as those already described, being held in place by screws 7, 7. The body parts 14a ad 14h, instead of being provided with substantially cylindrical recesses such as 9 and 9", are provided with recesses 15 and the user may find most respective terminals,

to retain the handle and ing to substantially enclose the contacts 10 .tion shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the handle 17 may be moved angularly in any direction and in addition may be turned about its longitudinal axis so that the projections 12 and 12L may extend in any desired direction as convenient.

What I claim is:

1. In an electrical connection plug, the combination of two separate contacts detachably engageable with the supply contacts of 2o a current using appliance, an iniexible handle having a longitudinal hole therethrough and provided at one end with a connection means permitting pivotal movement, two terminals supported independently of the han- 25 dle and electrically connected -With the respective contacts, a Hexibleconductor cord extending through the said hole in the ,handle and having the conductors thereof directly connected at their inner ends to the andv two companion body partsconnectible with each other after the cord has been inserted through the handle and has been connected to the terminals, the said body Aparts when so connected with 35 each other serving to substantially enclose the `contacts and terminals and theadjacent portions of the cord and further serving to engage between them at least a port-ion of the aforesaid handle connection means so as permit relative pivotalmovement thereof. y In an ,electrical-connection plug, the combination of two'separate contacts detachably engageable with the supply contacts of 'a current using appliance, an inflexible handle having a longitudinal hole therethrough and provided at one end with transversely projecting integral. pivot means,.two terminals supported independently of the handle `:so and' electrically `connected with the respective contacts, a flexible conductor cord extending through vthe said hole in the handle andhaving the conductors thereof directly connected at their inner ends to the respective 55 terminals, and two companion body parts connectible with each other after the cord has been inserted through the handle and has been connected to the terminals, the said body parts when connected with each other `ervand terminals and the adjacent ortions of the cord and the said body parts eing provided with recesses for receiving the pivot means of the handle so as to retain the handle and per- 'ti mit relative pivotal movement thereof.

parts are so formed as to 3. In an electrical connection plug, the combination of an insulating body comprising two companion parts positioned at opposite -sides of a longitudinal division plane' and shaped n ear oneend to provide two substantially cylindrical inter1or recesses having their axes in alignment with each other, se arate contacts carried by the body near t e other end thereof between the two said parts and detachably engageable with the supply contacts of a current using appliance, and a handle at the first said end of the plug provided with two aligned substantially c lindrical trunnions seated in the said body recesses to form a pivotal connection with the body and having a longitudinal hole extending entirely therethrough, and terminals carried by the body independently of the handle and positioned for connection with a conductor cord extending entirely through the said 'hole in the handle. Y

4. In an electrical connection plug, the combination of an insulating body comprising two companion parts positioned at opposite sides of a longitudinal division plane and shaped near one end to providetwo substantially cylindrical interior recesses having their axes in alignment Witheach other, separate contacts carrie by the body near the other end thereof be/ en the two said parts and detachably engageable with the supply contacts of a current using appliance, terminals in electrical connection with the said contacts and respectively connectible directly with the conductors of a iexible cord, and a handle at the first said end of the plug provided with two aligned substantially cylindrical trunnions seated in the said body cesses to form a pivotal connection with the body, the said handle having a longitudinal 'hole extending entirely therethrough and terminating at its inner end in a recess located between the trunnions which hole and recess serve to receive the cord and to permit the diverging of the conductors thereof for connectionvwith the said terminals.I

5. In an electrical connection plug, the combination of an insulating body comprising two companion parts positioned at opposite sides of a longitudinal division plane and shaped near one end'to provide two substantially cylindrical interior recesses having their axes inthe said division plane and in alignment with each other, separate contacts carried by the body near the other end thereof between the two said parts and detachably engageabhz with the supply contacts of a current usingappliance, terminals in electrical connection with the said contacts and respectively connectible directly with the conductors of a flexible. cord, a handle at the first said end of the plug provided with two aligned substantially' cylindrical trunnions seated in the said body recesses'to form a pivotal connection with the body and having a4 longitudinal hole vextending entirely therethrough for receiving the said conductor cord, and projections on the said body parts at opposite sides of the handle serving as stops to limit pivotal movement.

(i. In an electrical connection plug, the combination of an insulating body, separate contacts carried by the body near one end thereof detachably engageable with the supply contacts of a current using appliance and electrically connectible respectively with the ,conductors of a fiexible cord, and a handle pivotally connected to the bod'y at the opposite end thereof and having a longitudinal hole therethrough for the said .conductor cord, the said handle being provided near its outer end with projections extending transversely in opposite directions and conveniently engageable manually for exerting a push lto connect the plug with the appliance or a pull to remove it therefrom.

7. In an electrical connection plug, the combination of an insulating body comprising two companion parts positioned at opposite sides of a longitudinal division plane and shaped near one end to provide two substantially cylindrical interior recesses having their axes in the said division plane and in alignment with each other, separate contacts carried by the body near the other end thereof between'the two said parts, the said contacts being adapted to be detachably engageable with the supply contacts of a current us. ing appliance and being electrically connectible respectively with the conductors of a flexible cord, and a handle at the first said end of the plug provided with two aligned substantially cylindrical trunnions seated in the said body recesses to form a pivotal connection with the body and having a longitudinal hole extending entirely therethrough for receiving the said conductor cord, the said handle being provided near its outer vend with projections extending transversely in opposite directions substantially parallelly with the axis of the trunnions and conveniently engageable by two fingers of the user for exerting a pull to remove the plug from the appliance.

8. As an article of manufacture, an iniexible one-piece handle member for an electrical connection plug hollow from end to end i' lfor the reception of a conductor cord and provided at one end with an integral radially projecting pivot means and at the other end with integral radially projecting means conof the nser.

9. A handle member as set forth in claim 8, wherein the pivot means consists of two oppositely extending substantially cylindrical trunnions.

10. A handle member as set forth in claim 8, wherein the pivot means consists of two oppositely extending substantially cylindrical trunnions and wherein the finger engageable means consists of two oppositely extending-projections substantially parallel with the said trunnions.

ll. As an article of manufacture, a halfbody part for an electrical connection plug formed near one end with two similar longitudinal recesses for the partial reception of electrical contacts and formed near the other end with a central longitudinal recess for the partial reception of a handle member and with two transverse semi-cylindrical recesses spaced from the last said end and joining the central recess at opposite sides thereof, the said transverse recesses having a common axis perpendicular to the axis of the central recess and being adapted for the partial reception of substantially cylindrical transverse trunnions formed integrally on the said handle member.

12. In an electrical connection plug, the combination of two separate conta detachably engageable with the supply contacts of a current using appliance, an inflexible handle having a longitudinal hole therethrough and provided at one end with a connection means permitting pivotal movement in any direction, two terminals supported independently ofthe handle and electrically connected with the respective contacts, a flexible conductor cord extendin through the said hole in the handle and aving the conductors thereof directly connected at their inner ends to the respective terminals, and two companion body parts connectible with veach other after the cord has been inserted through the handle and has been connected to the terminals, the said body parts when so connected with each other serving to substantially enclose the contacts and terminals and the adj acent portions of the cord and further serving to engage between them at least a portion of th aforesaid connection means so as to retain the handle and permit pivotal movement thereof in any direction as aforesaid.

13.' In an electrical connection plug, the combination of an insulating body, two sepa.- rate contact elements carried by the body near one end thereof and detachably engageable with the supply contacts .of a current using appliance,` a handle having a longitudinal hole therethrough and having at its outer end oppositely extending projections conveniently engageable manually, the said handle being connected with the insulating body at the end thereof opposite the said contacts rfor rotation with respect to the said body and ing through the hole in the handleJ and having the conductors thereof respectively connected at their inner ends directly to the said terminals.

14:. In an electrical connection plug, the combination of an insulating body, two separate Contact elements carried by the body near one end thereof and detachably engageable With the supply contacts of a current 1G using appliance, an inflexible handle having a longitudinal hole therethrough and having at its outer end oppositely extending projections conveniently engageable manually, the said handle being connected with the insulating body at the end thereof opposite the said contacts for universal pivr tal movement with respect to the said body and With respect to the said contact elements and also for rotative movement with respect thereto about a longitudinal axis so as to bring the handle into any desired angular posltion with respect to the body and so as to bring the said projections into any desired position of rotative adjustment about the said longitudinal axisptwo terminals supported on the insulating body independently of the handle and electrically connected With the respective contact elements, and a flexible conductor cord extending through the hole in the vhandle and having the conductors thereof y respectively connected at their inner ends directly to the said terminals.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set p my hand this 13th day of October, 1927 BENJAMIN yF. CONNER. 

